Tales from Nintendon
by Cosmicgiraffe
Summary: A tale of greed, friendship, and an ill-fated pendent...
1. Chapter 1: Falling from the Clouds

**A/N:** This is my first Super Smash Bros fic! It's like taking a breath of fresh air after being in one fandom for so long. I'm not sure if the idea was the best but I kind of liked it. I know a lot of Super Smash Bros fics have all of the Smashers living together in some mansion, but personally, I kind of don't like the idea of that. And for people not used to my style of writing, I write probably the WORST opening chapters. I think I write a _little_ better when I get the action going.

Jigglypuff is the main character in this story followed by Meta Knight. If you absolutely hate that pairing, then this is not the fic for you. I have not written romance ever but let's just see how it works out.

Now, the setting does not have any large mansion where everyone lives together. It is split between the sky empire where all of the puffballs (Kirby, Jigglypuff, and Meta Knight's type) live. The land below the clouds is Nintendon, where everyone else is. Some characters will not be referred to as what they are called in Super Smash Bros Brawl. I'll explain a little bit about each character as they show up in this story.

**Disclaimer: **I do not own any of the characters here! They belong to their respected owners!

* * *

**--Chapter 1: Falling from the Clouds--**

Dark storm clouds swirled outside of the luxury airliner's porthole windows. As large drops of rain streamed down from the glass, Jigglypuff continued to gaze out into the rain. Not knowing it, her life was about to be placed on the very line of life and death at the point of a pistol.

Turning back to the elite class cabin, Jigglypuff looked at all of the familiar and unfamiliar faces around her. She saw her younger cousin, Kirby and her father standing alongside her uncle as they talked. Her mother was at the other end of the room, chatting nonstop with a few of her friends over a large tray of tea and cakes. The air ship they were in was headed towards the sky empire's capitol. It would be her first time there, but it was the around the second or third time her parents had been there. They both had described the city's full splendor to detail and she was excited to see her first glimpse of it.

Her kind, all puffball-like creatures, were a proud race. They believed that their kind was the first to be brought to existence, and by far, the most superior to any other race. They lived among the clouds, traveling by air ships like the one they were on now. Other species like humans lived on the land below them. Jigglypuff had never seen any creature other than her own species. After hearing many stories of other races, she was curious to know what they looked like but she never had a real desire to travel down to their lands.

She glanced down at her dress with a sigh. Her dark green dress was fluffier than she thought was necessary with it white frills. Silk gloves covered her frail hands and had designs stitched into it. She wore sparkling bracelets over her wrists and hairclips holding her silky pink hair up. To her, it was all extremely uncomfortable, but not wanting to lower her family's pride, she wore it without saying any of her complaints out loud.

Just as her sea blue eyes looked away from the trays with dainty cups of tea, a dark figure outside the window caught her attention. She whipped her head around to look outside, only to see nothing more than dark clouds. Frowning, she sank back into her plush seat, only to straighten up after her mother sent her a disapproving glance.

She turned back to the window, trying to shake the cold chill that had come along with her fears.

_There's nothing out there! Just relax!_

Jigglypuff stood up and walked out of the elite cabin. She immediately felt the cool air from the halls hit her face as she closed the door quietly behind her. Perhaps she had only been imagining things in the heat of the other room.

She passed very few other passengers as she continued her walk. They appeared to be from a lower class and Jigglypuff did not turn to look at them. She remembered her mother telling her to ignore any less wealthy people and based on that teaching, Jigglypuff began to believe that all lower class citizens were beggars, though it was not at all true.

Making her way around a corner, she came to the large platform where on a clear night; many passengers would be gazing out at the stars. No one else was here on the platform under the wide dome and Jigglypuff walked up towards the railings. The glass curved at least a hundred and eighty degrees, giving viewers a wide range to see out of the ship. All that Jigglypuff could see were more storm clouds.

Leaning on the railings, Jigglypuff could almost hear her parents disapprove of her posture. At the moment, she did not feel like standing tall stiffly.

"_My dear…it's about time to look for a man to share your life with…"_

Her mother had said that her not to long ago. Just by looking into her parent's eyes, she could tell they were anxious for her to wed. Her parents had found suitors, but she had rejected all of them. Possible, her parents had only decided to bring her to the Capitol to meet other men. It was the one thing that bothered her: imagining herself getting married. She did not want to, at least, not yet.

Suddenly, Jigglypuff was thrown against the side railings as the entire ship lurched. A loud grinding sound of metal filled the entire aircraft. Jigglypuff covered her head as glass shattered all around her, raining sharp pieces down on her. Lifting her hands, she watched as her gloves began to turn bright red. Looking up, she gasped.

There was a ship outside of the airliner, but it wasn't just any ordinary ship. As lightening flashed from outside, Jigglypuff caught a glimpse of a skull with guns crossing behind it on a pure black flag.

The ship that was anchoring itself to theirs highly resembled any ocean ship with wood paneling and massive sails that billowed in the wind. On the sides were cannons, more than what she could count.

The ship lurched again and Jigglypuff grabbed on to the railing before she was knocked off of the platform. She pulled herself back on and dashed back to the hall. Now, no one was around. Apparently, everyone had returned to their cabins before the ship was hit.

Just as she was about to run past the intersection, she could hear shouts. Stopping in her tracks, Jigglypuff could feel her heart beat loudly as gunshots sounded. All at once, the lights flickered before turning completely off. Only the red glow from the emergency exit signs illuminated the windowless halls. The intercom, which was just about to turn on, made a loud static sound before dying away.

Someone had cut off all of the communication systems on the ship.

Jigglypuff looked around her. She was too afraid to stay alone in the halls, yet she could not find the courage to move. Her family was still in the elite cabin. Were they safe?

She heard the loud thumping of boots on the metal walkways, seemingly coming from all directions. They were extremely heavy. These could not be of her race. They had to come from a much larger species.

More gunshots, followed by screams. Doors were burst open and the cries of alarm filled Jigglypuff's head. She had to get out of here.

She ran blindly down the dark hallways, stumbling over her large dress as the ship lurched. She somehow managed to find a doorknob in the darkness and she scrambled into the room, locking the door behind her. This room was empty, possibly just an extra room in the ship that no one knew what to do with, but there was a large porthole window. She ran up to it and ran her hands along it. There weren't any levers to open it. Backing away, Jigglypuff nearly fell over a metal pipe that had come loose. Picking it up, she could barely lift the heavy object. She glanced at it and then back to the window. Perhaps there was a way to escape.

Moments later, the window was shattered as Jigglypuff ran through it with the pipe. The impact almost made her fall backwards as the pipe broke through the porthole. Rain and wind burst in, drenching her as she carefully climbed out. There were metal bars that ran along the bottom and top of the window and hanging on to it, she was able to slowly climb away from the shattered window. However, there were three problems.

One, the bars were extrememly slippery from the rain and her gloves were barely able to keep hold on them.

Two, the door of the room burst open and the attackers came in, looking up to see her before she disappeared past the window's glass.

Three, nothing else but her frail hands would keep her from falling.

"Tha' lass is gettin' away!"

"Then don't be standin' there, lard bucket! Get her!"

Jigglypuff was on to the slender metal ladder that ran up to the very top of the ship when the men poked their heads out the window. They were pirates; there was no doubt about that. Their clothing screamed to be washed every now and then, and their jewelry hung down from their necks and arms. Jigglypuff could see the glint in their teeth and pistols in their belts.

She climbed up. Her dress had already soaked up much of the rain that fell on her back, making it heavier for her to lift. The men climbed out from the window and made their way easily to the ladder. They were both skilled with dealing with bad weather like the storm they were in now. The man closest to her held his knife between his teeth as he smiled up at her. Compared to the pirates, Jigglypuff was slow.

Just as she reached up for the next bar, her footing slipped and she fell. The man under her looked up in surprise as she crashed into him, knocking him down into the next pirate. Grabbing the ladder again, Jigglypuff scrambled up to regain the lost distance. She heard the two pirates curse at each other as they tried to get themselves off of each other.

Jigglypuff finally climbed up onto the last few rungs of the ladder and collapsed through a shattered porthole window. She did not mind as the glass fragments cut deeply into her body. Panting, she looked around herself. She was in the crew cabins of the ship. She could make out the silhouettes of the bunk beds and dressers and she got up and ran up towards the door. She opened the door and almost screamed out. The body of a crew member, possibly one of the steersmen collapsed on to her, a bloody knife sticking out from his chest. Jigglypuff was almost too terrified to shriek out as she pushed the body away from her. Blood smeared across the floors as he rolled across the room along with the lurch of the ship. She looked back just as the two men that were pursuing her came to the window.

Just then, the door slammed open and gun shots fired. Jigglypuff covered her head as the bullets flew through the air above her. The pirate was struck square between his eyes and he fell back, dead. She could hear the other pirate scream out as his comrade knocked him off of the ladder, out into the stormy clouds.

"Miss, hurry!"

Jigglypuff turned to see a white uniformed figure motion for her to follow him: the captain.

Relieved to see someone who could possibly save her, Jigglypuff ran forward behind the dark green puffball, who held his gun up, ready to fire. Other crew members lay dead in the halls and Jigglypuff realized that the captain was possibly the last crew member alive on the ship.

"What's happening?" She cried out.

"If you haven't noticed already, we're being attacked." The man grunted in slight annoyance. "And I wouldn't be too surprised if the Captain of the attackers is Capt. Wolf O' Donnell."

"Who?"

"No time for chit chat, Miss."

Jigglypuff was forced to keep following him, questions spiraling in her head. The name seemed somewhat familiar. Trying to remember where exactly she had heard the name, she ran after the captain as they made their way down the halls. Then it struck her.

"_Wolf O' Donnell, Terror of the Skies" _Ran the headlines of the most read newspaper of the sky empire. _"Captain of the most feared group of pirates and the man behind the disappearances of airliners in every corner of the skies."_

Before, the name had meant close to nothing to her. News of airliners and air ships taking off, never to reach their destination, had never concerned her greatly. Now that she and the others around her were in danger, she felt her body quake with fear.

Suddenly, another door burst open and a whole group of men, all dressed in loose shirts, leather boots, and bandanas came into the halls. They held large sacks over their heads, jangling with their loot. They turned to see the two puffballs who stopped as they found themselves not the only ones in the halls.

The pirates set their bags down and drew their knives and pistols. Jigglypuff could see a few of the passengers were being taken hostage from behind them. They all screamed out muffled cries as they were forced down the hall.

Before Jigglypuff could react, both sides fired. One side had just her and the captain while the other had the whole group of men. The fight seemed unfair. She watched as the ship captain leapt forward, drawing his sword neatly and slashed out at the first line of men. Unable to keep up with his quick strokes, he made short work of them and moved on to the rest. He kept moving, never stopping as they fired at him. Without having a stable target to shoot at, they were forced to use their daggers, which clearly they were not as skilled using them rather than their guns.

The captain flipped through the air as two pirates swung out at the same time and ended up slitting the other one's ankles. They both collapsed to the ground before they were slashed through by the puffball's sword. After taking out at least six men, all by himself with no injuries, the other pirates backed away, dropping all of their loot and hostages.

"Who tell ye' to drop all our loot?" Came a smooth voice.

They all turned to see a figure standing in the shadows before he came forth. It was a dark gray wolf and without even needing to be introduced, Jigglypuff could already guess this was the terror of the skies: Capt. Wolf O' Donnell.

He appeared just as Jigglypuff had imagined him. He wore a loose shirt that jangled as he moved, signaling how much jewelry he wore under it out of sight. At the side of his dark pants on a thick leather belt, several knives in their scabbards hung within easy reach. She could see the handle of a pistol along with them. The ship's captain stopped to turn to the wolf.

"We meet again, Wolf." He said with clear dislike.

Capt. Wolf turned to him and looked at him as if he hadn't seen the dark green puffball before.

"Have we the pleasure of meeting before?" He asked, his wide grin showing the sharp teeth in his mouth.

The captain said nothing as Capt. Wolf continued.

"You be lucky to have lived through my last raid. That ship was blown to smithereens in less than a quarter hour."

The captain shook his head slowly, gloves changing to fists.

"Hundreds of people died…HUNDREDS! All because of you. Does that number mean anything to you?"

Capt. Wolf examined his sharp nails as he let out a low chuckle.

"It only adds to the honor of being a pirate."

"There is no honor in piracy." The captain growled.

"Maybe you think that, but as of now, I be afraid that I must kill ya'."

Suddenly, Capt. Wolf drew his saber and lunged. His moves were lightening fast, only showing why he was 'the terror of the skies'. Even the captain, who clearly was skilled in the sword, met his match. Wolf's attacks were quick but not powerful, only striving to disarm his opponent while maintain his high energy. The ship's captain had much slower moves, but each stroke was steady and sure.

"So tell me, who was that fair lady that I be a shootin' that other night, eh? You sure made a fuss over the lass."

"That was my wife you dirty scum!"

Jigglypuff screamed out as he threw himself onto, Wolf, knocking them both to the floor. He punched Wolf in the face, striking the pirate in the snout. Yelping back, Wolf kicked the puffball off of him and while he stood up, held his nose with his hand. Jigglypuff watched as the ship's captain picked himself up and prepared to strike the wolf again when the pirate raised his gun and fired. He dodged it as the bullet whizzed overhead, shattering the window behind him. Cold air burst into the room along with rain.

The dark green puffball ripped a metal pipe from the wall and holding it in front of him like a club, he leapt into the air and ran towards Wolf. The pirate fired again and again, missing the puffball by less than an inch. Just as he was about to pull the trigger again, he flew back as the pole slammed into his chest. A loud crack sounded and Jigglypuff did not have to guess to know that it was the sound of the wolf's ribs snapping from the force of the metal pipe.

Wolf stood up slowly, grimacing from the pain as he looked at the puffball. Jigglypuff cried out as he pulled the trigger. The ship's captain gasped out as he looked down at his chest where a bullet glistening in dark red was embedded. He swayed, pipe clattering to the floor loudly before he dropped onto his hands, breathing heavily.

"Ye' got some guts to fight Wolf O' Donnell, terror of the skies." Wolf spat as he stepped down on to him with his heavy boots.

Just as he was about to bring his sword out to stab the ship's captain, Wolf looked up towards the shimmering light that suddenly filled the hall. Jigglypuff looked down at her dress to realize that her necklace had fallen out from her dress. The spherical pendent had been a family heirloom that her mother had given to her when she had been a young girl. It glowed all of the colors on a color wheel brightly.

"Y…you be the Smash ball Keeper…" Wolf stammered out.

Jigglypuff did not know what the wolf pirate was talking about, but he immediately changed his focus to her. Stepping closer, his eyes reflected the glimmer of the necklace.

"The Smash ball…after all these years, I thought it was just an old story…"

Jigglypuff had never heard of any other name for the necklace she wore, but the way the wolf seemed so set on it, she could tell it was highly valuable, more valuable than she would have ever thought.

She ran without a second glance behind her. Capt. Wolf ran after her, not about to allow the one thing he had been searching for, to slip between his claws. The hall scrambled with heavy boots as they ran. Jigglypuff could feel tears run across her face. She was afraid. No one, not even the captain was around to protect her.

Her dress made her running slow, and she could feel Wolf gaining on her. He pointed his gun and fired. Jigglypuff screamed as it struck her arm. All she could feel was the burning pain as her dress's frilly white gloves soaked the blood. More gunshots, none of them however hit her. She came to a open door and slammed it shut behind her. At the side of the door, there was a large metal block to lock the door and almost the second after she lowered it into its holders, Wolf began pounding against the door. The door however, would not budge against the block.

Looking around her, Jigglypuff realized she was in a windowless room. A small emergency light was the only source of light in the room. It appeared to be a storage closet, filled with boxes stacked on one another. She scrambled back into them as the door bent under the power of Capt. Wolf. He apparently had found some weapon to use and now the sturdy metal door was giving in to his will.

Looking up, Jigglypuff found a large ceiling vent with a metal grate over it. Without thinking twice, she jumped up on to the boxes and ripped it off. It was filled with cool air, almost cold enough that she shivered. Climbing up into it, she closed it behind her just as the door burst open and Wolf wildly looked around the room. As she crawled through the vents as quietly as she could, she could hear him dig through the boxes to see if she had been hiding there.

Wolf raised his head and breathed in deeply. Being a wolf, he had a strong sense of smell. Immediately, he could locate Jigglypuff's scent near the vent grate.

Jigglypuff had only gone a little further when she heard Wolf tear the metal grate off the ceiling completely. She cried out as she saw his head emerge into the vent.

"Get back here!" Wolf grunted as he climbed up into the vent.

Jigglypuff made her way to another metal grate leading to a different room and broke through it. She fell straight into a large pile of coiled ropes. Looking around her, she was in the control room of the ship. There were a few other pirates here, guarding tied up crew members. The moment she entered the room, the pirates drew their weapons and advanced towards her.

One of the men lunged forwards to grab her. She leapt out of the way just in time and sprinted towards the metal door on the side of the room. It was already open and she shut it behind her, catching the blade of one of the pirate's sabers between the door frame. With a sudden surge of strength, the sword snapped as the door closed completely shut.

With a small sigh of relief, Jigglypuff turned towards the long ladder leading to the very top of the ship. Besides going back into the room full of pirates, it was the only way she could go.

Hand over hand, she pulled herself up. Already, her hand was covered in blisters and it burned each time she grabbed another rung on the ladder.

Suddenly, Wolf's figure appeared in the glass at the front of the ship and before Jigglypuff could even scream out, he leapt forward, breaking the front windows. He landed on the metal walkway, the small black pupils in his eyes narrowing as they fell across her. Using his strong back legs, he jumped onto the ladder and began climbing up behind her.

Finally, Jigglypuff stepped on to the highest deck of the ship and ran towards the railings on the other side. Behind her, he could hear Wolf chuckle.

"Nowhere to run, lass."

She turned towards him, pressing her back as far as she could into the railings. She could feel her entire body shake as he strode forward casually. He held his hand out towards her.

"Give me your pretty hands, lass."

"N…no!"

"Oh I won't be a hurtin' you. I just want that pretty little trinket that shines lots o' colors."

Jigglypuff could feel her hand slowly reach up towards the necklace, moving her gloves across its smooth surface as long streams of tears ran down her face. The minute she gave it to the wolf, he would shoot her and be done with her. There would not be any chance for her to live. Then there was the other choice of jumping…

Jigglypuff closed her eyes as she drew in her breath. Then, she turned and jumped on to the railing. By the time Capt. Wolf realized what she was going to do, she had already jumped. He scrambled towards the railings, reaching out towards her. His claws grazed her shoulders and tore off a large piece of her dress. Jigglypuff skidded down to the side of the ship. She dug her hands into its cold metal, trying desperately to hang on.

Wolf looked down towards her, shirt billowing in the wind.

"So you choose death? Fine by me. I'll find your corpse someday when I send my crew to search the oceans of the land below."

He aimed his pistol straight for her head. Jigglypuff's eyes widened as his hand wrapped around the trigger.

_Let go!_

Jigglypuff felt herself spin wildly as she plummeted down, far below the attacked airship and her family. Clouds rushed past her as she fell. She screamed, but it was drowned out by the crack of , she broke through the clouds and an entire world stretched out below her. It was too dark to see anything, but Jigglypuff could see a shiny surface that spread out in all directions. Water.

She had never seen so much water in her life before. Jigglypuff could not imagine any tank or pool large enough to hold so much.

Jigglypuff continued to fall. Her tight curl of hair swayed wildly in the wind. Rain brushed past her face and the sky was suddenly illuminated with lightening. She was just moments away from impact.

The water's surface was closer now; she could even see the waves. Shifting her body slightly, she moved herself into a feet first position, ready for her body to hit the water and for her to finally die.

Suddenly, she felt a jolt of pain all over her body as she plunged down into the ocean. Opening her eyes, all she could see was darkness and a few bubbles that floated past her face. She kicked upwards, trying to swim back to the surface. Having always lived in the clouds, she had never swum before or experienced the fierce power of ocean waves. As she gasped out for air, she was suddenly bowled over by a powerful wave. Her dress was heavy in the water and it seemed to want to drag her down into the unknown watery depths and towards her grave.

She made her way back to the surface again, screaming for help. Her shouts were drowned out by the wind as another wave came towards her. Water spilled into her lungs as she fought the currents. She choked out as she lifted her head out of the water.

She looked up to see land, not too far away now. If only she could get there…

As she turned her head around, she gasped as a monstrous wave, larger than the others came crashing into her. She felt all the air in her body get forced out and everything went black.

* * *

"Meta! Get yourself in here this instance!"

Slowly, the dark blue puffball looked up from the hard marble floor he had been scrubbing all day towards the open door to his master's office. Twice already, the bucket of water beside him had tipped over and his back ached. He stood up, the gold bell on his slave collar jangling nosily as he made his way towards the grand staircase.

Meta felt himself hesitant to enter the office as he reached the top of the stairs. By the tone of his master, he was in for punishment.

"Yes m…Master?"

His gold eyes glanced towards the large executive chair that was turned away from him behind the desk. The office was lined with dark bookshelves, filled with books and other odd items. Beside the desk, there was a large globe which his master was toying with as Meta entered.

"Explain to me why after I told you to dust off my office, there is _still _dust on my desk?"

Meta's heart almost stopped. He had dusted off all of the bookshelves and furniture, but he had forgotten the desk!

"I…I forgot…" He said quietly.

The chair spun around and Ganondorf stood up. His armor glinted in the sunlight that streamed in from the windows and Meta could see his gloves were tightening into fists.

"Forgot?! Have I ever forgotten to unlock you from you room every day?"

"N…no Master…"

"Forgot. Maybe you need something to remind of you."

He suddenly picked up the empty mug on his desk and threw it as hard as he could. Usually, Meta could dodge what he threw, but the cup struck him on the side of his mask. He fell back as it shattered. A sudden jolt of pain shot through him and he felt his face sting. Looking up at his master, his gold eyes were like those of a puppy whose master was highly displeased.

"Go clean that up," Ganondorf hissed as he walked out of the room. "And don't forget the desk this time!"

Meta watched as his master's cape flowed behind the Gerudo before he disappeared into the hall. Glancing back at the office, he picked up all of the mug remnants. Some were extremely small and sharp and by the time he had picked up the last piece, his gloves had small blots of blood where the glass had poked through and cut into his hands.

After that had been cleaned up, Meta looked at the desk again. Ganondorf was not a mean master… unless if he was angry. He allowed Meta to roam free around Nintendon until nightfall as long as he did not have any other work for his servant. When he _was_ angry, however, it was not unusual for Meta to suffer in one way or the other.

He found a rag and wiped the dust off the desk before finally having the pleasure of leaving the room. Glancing down from the railings of the main room, he could see Ganondorf gazing out the windows of the sitting room. Not wanting to face his master's wrath again, he scurried away into his room, closing the door behind him quietly.

Meta's room, located at the far end of the hall was a lot smaller than most of the rooms in the mansion. It was on the second floor and the farthest away from the stair case for a reason: if he wanted to sneak away in the middle of the night, he would have to pass Ganondorf's office and room. It made any attempt for freedom nearly impossible for the flooring in that area creaked loudly.

His room's doorway also had bars that Ganondorf had used for a long time after he had purchased Meta off the slave markets. They weren't used any longer now that he had learned to stay in his room, but Ganondorf would threaten him to use it again if he had been slightly late to return to the estate by nightfall.

He sat down on the small chair by the window, carefully placing the violin into its case along with all of the music sheets. There were several long and deep slashes on its sides when Ganondorf had tried to get rid of it. He hated music, yet for some reason, he had a grand piano in his own house. He had it most likely because he did not know what else to spend his vast amount of money on.

Meta picked the violin up again and ran his hands down its slender sides. Like him, it had been equally abused; but unlike him, it had a beautiful tone. He had trouble at times to get any sound out of his mouth. For other people, it seemed easy. He had tried to imitate them, try to learn to let his voice be heard. His voice came out in its usual stammering and quietness.

He moved to put the violin away when the bell on his pink slave collar jangled noisily once again. Had he not been afraid to, Meta would have ripped it off in a heartbeat. Ganondorf only forced him to wear it for his own amusement. The gold bell always got in the way, pulled Meta into deeper shame, and loudly announced if he was entering a room or not.

Outside, he spotted Nintendon's post officer coming to the front doors of the mansion.

_How unlucky for him. Master is angry at the moment and he's probably going to yell at Pit. Maybe I should answer the door for him._

Leaving his room, he swiftly went down the stairs and walked towards the front doors just as the bell rang. He opened it to see Pit standing outside, shaking nervously.

"Oh, good. It's you, Meta. I thought Ganon was going to…"

Pit paused and decided not to finish his sentence as he realized that the mansion owner was actually still within it.

"A private message has been sent but I don't know who it's from," He said as he held out a sealed envelope.

Meta took it from his hands and nodded. Before he could even pay Pit, the post officer was already turning to walk away.

"You can keep the money!" He said hurriedly.

Meta guessed it was from his extreme want to get as far away as possible from the Ganondorf Estate. Closing the doors, he turned and walked towards the sitting room where Ganondorf waited, arms folded.

"M…Master, message for y…you." He said, giving the letter to the Gerudo.

Ganondorf carefully broke the seal and opened it, pacing the room slightly as he read it. Meta stood patiently until his master finished.

"You and I are going out tomorrow. There is a meeting I must attend and I need a translator. The pirates say they found the Keeper."

Meta did not know who the 'Keeper' was but he said nothing about it. Along with the very few things he was extremely good at, Meta could translate several languages more accurately than most experts could. It had not been the first time Ganondorf had met with the pirates. Capt. Wolf and his master were apparently on a business deal and since his master had difficulty speaking Nintendon's formal language, he needed Meta to be with him for much of his business meetings.

"Y…yes, Master."

Ganondorf turned back towards the windows to gaze out into the fading daylight.

"Meta, start preparing dinner."

Wordlessly, Meta left the room and to the kitchen on the far side of the mansion. The cool air of the kitchen met him as he closed the door behind him and tied the black apron around him. This was one of the few rooms that Ganondorf rarely entered and the difference between this room and the others was recognizable. It looked more like a cellar with a small window above the sink and oven, and flour covered floors. Turning towards the window, he caught sight of a struggling fly in the large spider's web. The spider itself was lowering itself towards it, ready to suck its life out. Walking towards it, Meta could not help but think how much it represented his life: he was the fly, his master was the spider, and the mansion was the spider web, once caught in it, never to return from it.

He raised his hand to carefully lift the spider from its web and he placed it on the windowsill. For a moment, it looked as if it was frustrated from losing its fine meal that had flown straight into its trap before it disappeared into the large crack at the bottom of the window. Meta turned towards the fly and gently pulled it free from the web, careful to not rip off its delicate wings. It stayed on his glove for a brief moment, looking at him with its small eyes, before it flew out of the open window.

Meta watched it as it disappeared into the sky. Then again, it did not represent his life: no one was going to pull him out of the web he was trapped in.

* * *

**A/N: **Okay. Opening chapter is finished. Jigglypuff, by the way, comes from a VERY wealthy family. Kirby doesn't have a large role but he's her younger cousin. The names of her mother, father, or any of the passengers will never be mentioned because they are unimportant. Wolf is the pirate in the story and he has a larger role than Kirby does. He will be in more than just this chapter.

Pit is the post officer in this story and like Wolf; he has a slightly larger role than Kirby. Kirby's has little to nothing so just forget about the little guy for now.

Now what in the world is up with Meta Knight? And how did Ganondorf become his master? That will be answered in later chapters so just be patient. To make this chapter a little more understandable, there's something about Meta that is causing him to have trouble to speak and in the next chapters, you will get to see what else this 'curse' is causing. He can translate and play music so that's about it.

I have no clue why I chose to use the fly and spider thing to represent Meta's life. My first reaction would have been to grab a newspaper and kill both the spider _and _the fly. XD

And now, what will happen to Jigglypuff, who is out in the ocean nearly drowning, and what will happen at that secret meeting?

Please review!


	2. Chapter 2: Nintendon

**A/N: **Jigglypuff finds herself on Nintendon. Who will she meet and how will she get back home?

One thing as a note: Ganondorf speaks his own native language with Meta, but he also speaks the same language the other Nintendoans speak, though no one really is able to understand it since he has such a thick and heavy accent. I'm too lazy to figure out some kind of brand new language just for this story so just keep that it mind. Sometimes, the other characters will have trouble to understand him and he will need Meta to translate for him.

Another thing is that the parts with Jigglypuff and Meta do not occur at the same time. You will notice that Jigglypuff's part ends late at night before starting with Meta that same day but early in the morning. The parts will become more closer in time after this chapter.

**Disclaimer: **I do not own any of the characters here. They all belong to their respected owners.

* * *

**--Chapter 2: Nintendon--**

"Hey! Are you alright?"

No reply.

"HELLO?! I'M TALKING TO YOU!"

Slowly, Jigglypuff raised her head. Her vision was blurry and as she looked up, the mid-afternoon sun blinded her. Coughing out the salty sea water, she glanced behind her, rubbing sand out of her eyes. The deep, sparkling blue of the ocean was behind her, gently washing up on the sandy beach she was on. How different these waves were compared to the ones the night before!

Jigglypuff looked up to the one who had spoken. The woman was of another race, different than her own. Her body was not round shape like Jigglypuff's but rather tall with a long neck, arms, and legs. Her hair flowed behind her in long strands of gold that reflected the sunlight brightly, barely touching the sea blue earrings she wore. She wore a thin pink dress that matched the blush on her cheeks and in her hands; she held a large shopping bag and sun umbrella. Her soft blue eyes looked down at Jigglypuff in concern. She set down her bags and umbrella to help pull Jigglypuff up to lean against a flat slab of rock.

Finally, Jigglypuff's eyes refocused and she found herself staring at the stranger. She was _human_! Never before had she seen a human before, but she had to admit, from all of the fabulous stories that merchants that would stop in her Province in the Sky Empire to relate their adventures would tell; she was disappointed. She had imagined humans to be taller than trees and to be armed with thousands of swords. Peach was taller than her, of course, but she was _that _tall and she did not appear to have weapons at all.

"W…who are you?" Jigglypuff managed to croak out from her dry throat.

"Hmmm? Oh! I'm Peach!" The woman said, surprised that Jigglypuff spoke the same language as she did.

Jigglypuff tried to stand, but nearly collapsed back to the sandy ground doing so. With the help of Peach, she finally managed to stay upright and look around her.

The first thing she noticed was the lack of color. Besides the bright pink dress that Peach wore, everything was dull. Only the sky and ocean seemed to brighten it up a little. She could see the rooftops of buildings over the tall, grassy hills that bordered the beach and above it, smoke from chimneys. Closing her eyes for a moment, Jigglypuff could only at first hear the sound of waves and the cries of seagulls before she could make out the faint sounds of factories and boats in harbors.

"Where am I?"

"This is Nintendon, haven't you ever see it before?"

Jigglypuff shook her head.

"I've never been in these lands before."

"Really? Where do you come from?"

Jigglypuff was about to answer when she stopped. Would it be safe to say that she had come from the Sky Empire? And how would a land dweller know where exactly the Sky Empire was? The two lands, both the Sky Empire and the world below, were almost completely oblivious to the other, save for the few traders that traveled back and forth between the lands. Jigglypuff decided to answer safely.

"A faraway place,"

Peach nodded.

"Say, you look like you need some help. You can stay at my place if you need to. Were you in a shipwreck or something?"

Jigglypuff looked down at her dress for the first time and gasped. Under the layers of sand and seaweed pieces, her dress was ruined. She could see why Peach would have thought she was a shipwreck survivor: most of the dress was torn to shreds. She was missing one of her gloves and the other one was almost unrecognizable. All of its careful embroidery was gone, taken by the sea. The blisters on her hand clearly showed through the large holes in it and she could see traces of dried blood on them.

Jigglypuff slowly sank back to the ground. Flashes of the night before swam in her eyes and she suddenly realized that it was more than likely she was only survivor of the airship attack. Her family was gone. Her mother, father, uncle, Kirby…all dead. Tears welled up in her eyes as she silently cursed herself for being such a coward. All her mind had screamed to do was to run, to run to save her own life. She had not even _tried _to save her family.

Her hands closed around a mound of fine sand and she held up a fistful. It stung as it made contact with the blisters on her hands and she watched every last grain blow away in the wind. She had nothing. She was all alone.

"Is everything okay?" Peach asked, kneeling down to Jigglypuff's height.

She handed her a small, white cloth which Jigglypuff gratefully took to wipe the tears out of her eyes. Extending an open hand out to her, Peach asked gently,

"Would you like to come with me? I'm sure someone in town can help you."

Slowly and hesitantly, Jigglypuff took her hand and Peach pulled her back up to a standing position. Peach went back to get her bags before she motioned to Jigglypuff to follow her.

Peach began walking up the hill towards the town, but Jigglypuff stayed where she was. Was it safe to trust this stranger? Peach seemed nice enough, but what if she was leading her directly to someone like Wolf? Jigglypuff looked down to see the pendent on her necklace glow brightly as it lifted into the air towards the figure of Peach. It seemed to be directing her to follow the woman.

She watched as it slowly lowered. It was probably only the sun that made it glow and the wind that just happened to make it lift up towards Peach, nothing more. Even so, Jigglypuff could not help but feel slightly more secure with it.

"Hey, are you coming?"

Jigglypuff looked up to see Peach at the top of the hill, waving down to her. Hesitantly, Jigglypuff lifted the ends of her ruined dress off the ground and made her way towards Peach.

"You sure you're okay?"

"Y…yes."

"By the way, what's your name?" Peach asked as she turned around to walk towards the streets of the town.

"Jigglypuff."

"Jigglypuff? Nice to meet you. I'm sure we will be great friends!"

A small, shy smile formed on Jigglypuff's lips as she followed Peach into the small town in the mysterious land of Nintendon.

* * *

The town, just like the land surrounding it was close to colorless. There was an almost complete silence as well. No one in the streets talked and if they did, it was in hushed voices. No laughter, no music. Vacant flowerboxes were nailed under the empty windows of homes and shops. If they did have anything in it, it was usually a few weeds or a lone flower that drooped sadly.

Most of the citizens of the town were small, brown mushroom-like beings which Peach said were called Goombas and turtle-like creatures called Koopas. The town of Nintendon was made up of mixed races, but as far as Jigglypuff could see, none of them were of her kind. Maybe she was the only one.

She could see humans as well as many other races that were unfamiliar to her, but she noticed one thing: all of the non humans did not seem to be as wealthy as the humans. In fact, many of them only wore rags. Her ruined dress would have fit in perfectly with what they wore.

"Why are all the non humans here poor?" Jigglypuff questioned quietly to Peach.

"This is not a good place to talk about that kind of stuff," Peach whispered back, leaving Jigglypuff even more curious to know.

They finally came to a stop in front of the windows of a bakery. Above it in large letters was 'Peachie's Bakery'. Peach unlocked its small, pale pink door and led Jigglypuff inside.

The bakery was small and its ceilings were rather low as well. It had cracked, pale yellow walls just begging to be repainted and a layer of flour covered the hard wood paneled floors. However, the smell of breads baking in the ovens was wonderful. The tables were filled with loaves of bread, cakes, muffins, croissants, tarts, and almost all other bakery items Jigglypuff could think of. Each was individually wrapped delicately in clear plastic, tied with a pink of purple ribbon.

"You like it? I'm the baker here in Nintendon," Peach said, smiling a little.

Jigglypuff followed Peach to the back of the shop where a small flight of stairs led up to a door. Unlocking it, Peach beckoned for Jigglypuff to follow her in.

Almost the exact moment Jigglypuff walked into Peach's small apartment, she wanted to walk out. It was a mess. And worse of all, everything was pink.

From the walls to the couch spreads and from the light fixtures to the rugs, everything had the same rose pink hue. Magazines and clothes lay strewn across the floors and small bottles of nail polish took over the tables. Boxes of brand new shoes that had never been touched occupied just about every sitting place.

Between the gray streets of Nintendon and this pink wasteland, Jigglypuff would have much preferred the streets. It was an eye sore to glance around the room.

Peach dropped her bags on the floor and set the umbrella beside them.

"I'll deal with these later. I better find you something clean to wear. Wait here!"

Less than thirty seconds later, Peach came back with a small jacket that had a long, loose strap that could easily have been adjusted to fit the pink puffball's shape. Jigglypuff was led to the small bathroom where she could have the privacy to wash off all the sand and seaweed bits off her and change into fresh clothes. Never before had Jigglypuff appreciated a shower as much as she did now.

Finally, she came back into the living room where she could hear Peach in the kitchen. Navigating her way through the piles of junk, she managed to clamber into the pink kitchen where Peach was pouring tea for herself and her guest. Peach looked up and took the seaweed covered dress from her before she had the chance to say anything.

"Looks like this one can't be saved," She sighed. "Do you mind if I throw this away?"

Peach tossed it into the trash before Jigglypuff had said anything, as if reading the puffball's mind.

"Sit down. I'm sure you're thirsty," Peach said as she carefully took both cups over to the flower shaped table.

The tea was good, although Jigglypuff would have preferred something stronger. Her dry throat deeply appreciated it.

"So about what I asked earlier? Did I say something wrong?"

"No," Peach sighed. "It's just that…well…how to put this…"

She did not say anything for a long while before finally, she quietly said,

"You ask difficult questions. It's just that it's true. It's been that way since this town was built: the majority of business owners are humans while non humans are the ones who get employed by the humans. Many of these jobs however, are not well paying ones, that's why many non humans are poor."

Jigglypuff could not find any words to reply. Now she understood why Peach had waited to be alone with her rather than to say something like that out loud in the streets where there were many who would be highly offended. It wasn't that she really cared about the people here, though. She wasn't going to be stranded on this horrid land for her entire life. It would not have concerned her in the slightest if after she returned home, that Nintendon would disappear from the face of the planet.

Peach, the Nintendoans, Nintendon, they were not her problems to deal with. She truly did not care much about any of them.

"Nintendon used to be a happier place…there would be festivals and parties…and we had foreign musicians play at them too. Now they're all gone…"

"What happened?" Jigglypuff asked, just trying to appear to be interested.

"Well, everyone just forgot how to smile; I guess…it wasn't until that man from the desert regions came that Nintendon started to become like this…" Peach said slowly with a sigh, grimacing towards the end. "He was the one to introduce the industrialism to Nintendon and hold the monopoly over it. The smaller businesses were wiped out and most people turned to his new line of jobs for work."

"But why would anyone let him do such a thing?"

"We didn't know…at first, it seemed to improve out lifestyles, but soon, everyone seemed to get too dependent on it. Ganondorf. He lives in that large mansion at the top of the hillside."

Jigglypuff finished her drink and looked back out towards the ocean. She wanted to go _home, _not waster her time dealing with the affairs of others. Jigglypuff had tried to be more patient and try to make more of a conversation, but it clearly was not getting her any further. She was just about to ask a question when Peach surprisingly changed the subject.

"So what happened to you? Is it okay if I ask how you came to be washed up on the beaches?"

At first, Jigglypuff was hesitant to relate her entire story from the night before. She did not tell the blonde haired woman about the necklace or about Capt. Wolf, still afraid that the pirates would somehow find her. Peach was patient enough to listen through the entire thing without speaking at all until her friend had finished.

"Wow. I'm sorry to hear that you had to go through all that. I can't imagine what that has to feel like, leaving everyone you know. I have never been anywhere else but Nintendon."

Jigglypuff stood up, placing both hands on the table.

"How will I get back home? Am I the only one of my race here on Nintendon?"

"I don't know. It's not like I know every single person here in Nintendon. But I think I know someone who does…"

"Who? I have to know if my family is still okay or not!"

"That post officer, Pit. He knows just about everybody in town and always has the news and latest gossip." Peach said, her voice showing that the gossip part was the most important one to her.

"Could I go see him and ask?" Jigglypuff asked, struggling to not show her extreme impatience.

"Of course. At this time, he should be still delivering mail. We could go now if you want."

Jigglypuff smiled. Hope at last!

Peach immediately threw the cups into the sink where large piles of dirty dishes and pans stood like towering columns, just ready to topple over. She was just about to say something when she turned back towards the pink puffball.

"Maybe we should stop at Zelda's first and see if she can make you something to wear. That jacket's not exactly comfortable for you, is it?"

Jigglypuff was extremely anxious and the thought of having to spend more time waiting did not please her, but reluctantly she had to agree that the jacket was not the ideal size and a dress would have been more preferable.

Then, she and Jigglypuff disappeared down the stairs and out of the bakery's entrance before they walked down the street towards Zelda's shop.

* * *

Jigglypuff watched as the two ladies excitedly greeted each other and almost immediately broke into a long conversation. She shifted uncomfortably, wanting desperately for them to stop talking and get the business over with.

Finally, the dark haired seamstress looked down towards Jigglypuff.

"Oh, who's this?"

"This is Jigglypuff. She needs something more fitting to wear," Peach chattered on. "You think you can make something for her?"

Zelda examined Jigglypuff for a moment before she nodded.

"I think so, come on in and I'll see what I can do."

Looking around the store, Jigglypuff was relieved to see that it wasn't covered in pink like Peach's house. The walls were almost completely hidden by tall shelves with brightly colored fabrics along with dull ones. Threads still on their spools littered the floors and there were several models where Zelda had been trying out new styles of clothes. Her own dress was a lot different than the usually Nintendoan attire and Jigglypuff found herself almost admiring it. It was not as finely detailed and intricate as her own clothes had been, but it looked great on the seamstress.

Zelda took out a measuring tape and pulled it around Jigglypuff before she went back to her small desk. She immediately drew out a small sketch, making several notes on the side for herself later on when she would begin working on a new dress for her.

"Okay. I think I got an idea. It's going to take a little while though, maybe by tomorrow. Tomorrow night the latest."

"Oh! Wow! That's pretty fast. I would have thought it would take longer to make a dress," Jigglypuff said in surprise.

Zelda smiled sadly.

"Used to be when I had a lot of customers, yes, it would have taken longer. But now, I barely have anyone coming to my doors. Tough economy, huh?"

"Oh. I'm sorry I said that…"

"It's fine," Zelda said, laughing a little. "I still can make a living, though maybe not as comfortable."

"Hey, Zelda? Jigglypuff needs help. See, I found her on the beach earlier today and she says that she needs to get back to her home. Do you think that post officer, Pit, might be able to help?" Peach asked.

Zelda's head turned slightly in a concerned manner as she looked at Jigglypuff.

"Yeah, Pit probably would know. He's always flying around so he knows a great deal about what's going on here in Nintendon." She said before turning to look through the blinds on the windows. "He's outside right now. If you want to go talk to him, you better go catch him now. He's talking with a few of the other guys."

Jigglypuff and Peach thanked Zelda before they left the shop. Almost immediately, they found the said winged post officer talking with other Nintendoans at the front of another shop across the street.

"Geez. I had to actually _walk up_ to Ganondorf's front door again just to deliver his mail! I wish he would just install a mail box _outside_ his estate so I wouldn't have to put my life on the line!" Pit said as Peach and Jigglypuff walked over to where he was talking with two other figures. "It's not like he's short of money or anything like a lot of Nintendoans are. It shouldn't be _that _much of a hassle!"

The other men nodded, clearly showing their pity of the post officer, but they left soon after to allow Pit to finish up delivering the day's mail. The winged post officer looked up as he noticed Peach and Jigglypuff.

"Hi Peach. You need something?"

Peach nudged Jigglypuff gently to try to explain her story. Though he still had a lot of work left, Pit was nice enough to not say a word about it until she finished. Jigglypuff told the same story as she had when she told Peach, leaving the part about the Smashball and Capt. Wolf out of it.

"So what are you saying, you want me to _fly _up to the Sky Empire to see if your family is still alive?"

"Would you be able to?"

"It's far away, I have to admit. I've been there once or twice but for both of those times, I required a special pass for the guards to let me in. I was close to fainting from all that flying. There is almost _no _way I'm going to be able to do that again!"

Jigglypuff was surprised that Pit had even been to the Sky Empire. She had previously thought that no one but her own kind and the pirates had ever set foot among the clouds.

"I'm sorry, but I can't. I wish I could help."

"Do you know anyone that could help her though?" Peach asked.

Pit thought for a moment.

"Not really. I haven't seen any of her ki—"

Pit stopped suddenly, thinking over what he was saying again.

"Wait. Actually maybe _he _could…no. What am I saying? It's not like he could really do anything…"

"May I ask who you're talking about?"

Pit shook his head.

"Never mind what I said. I really don't know who could help you," Pit said turning to Jigglypuff. "Though about the pirate part, you need to watch yourself. Nintendon is a popular stopping point for a few groups of pirates and by the sounds of it; they don't want someone like you to be alive. Although normally I wouldn't suggest it, if you're being followed, find those police officers, Marth and Ike. They don't really do a whole lot, but you'll be safer with them."

"Ugh. Those two?" Peach frowned.

Pit smiled a little.

"I know. Not exactly the best, but no one would dare hurt your friend if they're around."

"Thanks for the advice," Peach said, returning the smile.

Then, turning to Jigglypuff, she said,

"We better get back. I'm sure you're exhausted."

In truth, Jigglypuff was about ready to fall asleep. She had trouble keeping her eyes open as she followed Peach back to the bakery and back into the blonde haired lady's house. Even the couch did not seem like a bad bed at first to Jigglypuff who had never slept on anything less than a feathered bed before. Peach brought in some extra blankets and pillows, saying her apologies for not having another bed available for her guest.

"It's fine. This couch is actually quite comfortable," Jigglypuff lied.

"Oh. Really? If you say so. If we can't get you back home soon, I'll try to get another bed for you. Goodnight!"

Peach left the room, allowing Jigglypuff to arrange the pillows and blankets to her liking. Finally settling down, she turned off the lights and closed her eyes.

All through the night, Jigglypuff tossed the turned. The couch was extremely uncomfortable to her and she desperately wished for a true bed. Although she was tired, she could not fall asleep. It was not until around midnight when she heard it.

Music.

Sitting up, she got off the couch and opened the heavy pink curtains to look out the window. She could not see anything besides a few stray cats out on the streets. Turning back, she was about to try to go to sleep when she heard it again, only slightly louder. It sounded like a violin.

The window had been slightly open and she pushed the shutters out more, letting the cool night air to flow past her face. No one was out in the streets, yet the music continued. Was there another person, like Peach and Zelda, who was fighting against the black and white of Nintendon? Another person trying to restore the once colorful and cheerful town?

The music was faint but she could still hear each and every notes. Each and every note was filled with sadness, every chord, every line. Jigglypuff closed her eyes and images of home came to her. She missed hearing music. Back at home, it had been everywhere, in the air, in the streets, in homes. A sudden wave of homesickness washed over her.

Jigglypuff could not recall when the music stopped because she was asleep before it stopped, dreaming of the smooth ribbons of music with the memories of home.

* * *

Meta walked behind Ganondorf as they quietly made their way through the streets. Not many people were out at five in the morning and he struggled to keep his eyes open. His wrists had been chained together on a long leash-like cord which his master held the end in his strong hands. With the bell, Meta looked more like a dog on a walk with its owner rather than an actual _person._

When they _did _come across some lone Nintendoan, they backed away, trying to stay as far away as possible from the Gerudo. Here, everyone knew Lord Ganondorf and his high authority and power.

They came to an old building at the end of a narrow and dark alley where a lone figure greeted them. Meta recognized him from the last meeting Ganondorf had with the sky pirates: Bowser. The Koopa emerged from the darkness, and with a nod, led them into the building.

Inside, there were a few other figures, all pirates. They laughed out as they entered, raising their beakers of grog into the air.

"Ah. It be Lord Ganon again. Haven't see the likes of ye' fer a long time!" One of them called out.

Meta felt himself being pulled towards them by the leash and he kept close to Ganondorf, not wanting to be an open target for abusement by the pirates.

"Looks like ye' got yer puppy dog here again. Hey, Mety, les' see ye beg fer a doggy treat!" Wario sneered out, holding up rancid chicken bone in the air.

Another pirate kicked Meta hard and he fell the ground, landing on his hands. Looking up around him, more pirates joined in, all watching. One of the pirates drew their pistol and fired at the floor. Meta flinched back, much to the amusement of the crowd.

"Get down and beg!" Wario called out.

Suddenly, the pirates became silent as Ganondorf pushed his way forwards. He struck Wario across the face, knocking him back into the stack of barrels at the other side of the room. He turned to Meta and yanked back on the chains, pulling the slave up roughly.

"Leave him alone," Ganondorf snarled. "I only came here for business and I don't intend on staying any longer than I need to. I have my own life and work to do, so where is your captain?"

Although his words, heavy in Gerudo accent, were not as easily recognizable as a language spoken by Nintendoans, the meaning was clear enough. All of the pirates backed away slightly to reveal a large wooden table where a figure was seated, feet kicked up on to the table.

Wolf.

"Someone call for me?"

Ganondorf walked towards the table, planting both hands down on it firmly.

"About time you said a word, Wolf. You said you found the Keeper, so where is the Smash ball?"

"About that…" Wolf began, twirling his pistol in the air.

"We had an agreement, Wolf," Ganondorf said dangerously as he sat down in the chairs at the other end of the table, forcing Meta into the chair beside him. "You were to find the Keeper and bring the Smash ball to me and I had assumed you would send me a message once you had the actual pendent in your hands. Where is it?"

Wolf cocked his head to the side, trying to understand the heavy accent. Not being extremely fluent in the language spoken in Nintendon, Ganondorf had ended up switching to the Gerudo forms of some of the words, making what he said even more confusing. Ganondorf turned to Meta, roughly jabbing at the dark blue ball with his elbow to remind him of his duty. Meta slowly repeated over what Ganondorf had said in perfect Nintendoan. Wolf smirked.

"Well, me ole' crewmates and I _did_ find that Keeper ye' speaks of; you have to give me that much credit. It be a girl, kind of stupid but good enough that she put up a better challenge than I thought the lass would. She fell off the ship and into the ocean, but somethin' be tellin' me that the lass is still alive and is here in Nintendon."

"What kind of fool do you take me for, Wolf?" Ganondorf said in Gerudo as he pounded his fist down hard against the table.

"M…my Master does not believe of what you say as t…true," Meta said quietly.

"True?" Wolf scoffed. "We aren't dealing with just any kind of pretty trinket; we're dealing with the Smash ball. Methinks that the pendent is what saved the lass's life and somehow directed her to reach Nintendon in one way or the other."

"So if it's just a girl, how hard can it possibly be to catch her, slit her throat, and bring the pendent here?"

Meta translated it over, and Wolf stood up, thrusting his knife down straight through the table with a mighty slam.

"_You _try attacking a ship, looting it, killing anyone in the way, disconnecting the systems, _and _keeping track of a young lass! Bein' captain ain't the easiest thing."

The meeting went on and on. Meta's voice became extremely hoarse since he never had been able to talk long in the first place, but he still managed to hang on. The other pirates left after it had become dull and Ganondorf and Wolf were finished cursing and swearing loudly at the other. Finally, Ganondorf stood up, breathing heavily.

"We had a deal, Wolf. You won't see any of that promised gold until you find the Keeper and bring the Smash ball to me. You better find her quick before I start searching for her myself!"

He jerked the chains forward and Meta quickly stood up and followed his master out of the room and back out on to the streets without a second glance. With each step, he could feel the intense anger in Ganondorf's stride and he remained silent as they came back out into the mid day sun. More people were up now and seeing Ganondorf kept them at a distance.

Finally, they came to the front gates of the estate and Meta hoped he would get the chance to sleep. Most likely, especially due to his master's foul mood, that would not happen. As they stepped into the mansion, he stood patiently, waiting for Ganondorf to take the chain off his wrists so he could endure whatever was in store for him. However, right after Ganondorf unlocked the chain, he led him to the courtyard at the very center of the mansion.

"Come. Let us take a walk."

Confused, Meta followed his master past the hedges and trees to the very center of the courtyard where a stone fountain stood. Both Meta and Ganondorf favored this spot, but neither of them came here very often. As of now, Meta could see something was on the mind of his master.

"Do you feel it?" Ganondorf asked as he gazed into the reflections of the clear water.

"F…feel what, Master?"

"Could you see it in Wolf? He wants to know why the Smash ball is so important for me to get. He doesn't know what it is capable of. He won't give it to me right away until he's sure it wouldn't fetch a higher price somewhere else."

Meta was not sure why Ganondorf was suddenly relating his thoughts to him, but perhaps since he rarely socialized with anyone, it felt better to talk to someone, even if it was his own slave. Meta listened quietly as Ganondorf rambled on about the murdering, cheating, liar Wolf was. His master had decided to confront Wolf again the next day to lay down what their deal had been. He would increase the amount of pay for the Smash ball to try to give Wolf the incentive to actually try to locate the Keeper and fulfill his part of the deal. Meta did not say out loud what his own thoughts to that were.

_Extra earnings is not going to do much though…Wolf will still try to increase it further once he has it, otherwise it's going straight to the Black Market… _

Ganondorf suddenly turned to Meta.

"You're tired, aren't you?"

Meta felt himself tense up. He could not tell if his master was still angry or slowly calming down. He did not know if he was supposed to answer his master truthfully.

"Speak!"

"Y…yes, Master."

Ganondorf sighed a little but turned back to the fountain.

"Fine, you're excused."

Meta could not believe it. He had not been assigned anything. He gratefully bowed before hurrying away back to the mansion. He closed the doors of his room behind him and sank to the floor, letting out his breath.

He slowly got up and fell back on to his bed, staring up at the high ceiling. Too tired to do anything else, he let his eyes droop before dreams overwhelmed him.

Once again, he was dreaming the same thing over again: clouds. All around him, they stretched on forever. It perplexed him. He had never been this close to the sky before; at least he could not remember ever doing so.

Turning to his left, the same figure emerged, a small smile on her face. Never was her face clear enough to see fully and each time Meta would come over to her, she would disappear and he would wake up, immediately forgetting everything about his dream. Her frail rose pink body was like his. She was of his kind. Her sea blue eyes looked into his gold eyes and for a moment, a sense of happiness filled him. Meta had no clue who she was, nor how he dreamed of the same figure over and over again.

He opened his mouth to say something, but nothing came out. She laughed gently, her voice like the clear ring of a bell. Meta reached out towards her, desperate for answers. And of course, just like all the other times, she vanished along with everything around him, leaving him spiraling in the darkness.

* * *

**A/N: **Okay, new people. Peach is the town's baker and her friend, Zelda is the town's seamstress. Wario and Bowser are both part of Wolf's pirates. Marth and Ike are the police officers, but they will turn up in later chapters. That's about all you really need to know about them as of now.

Also, there is one thing about Jigglypuff that I wanted to express more through this chapter. Not sure if anyone will notice what in the world I'm talking about. Hint: it's more of her way of thinking.

I don't know…this chapter seems to be a filler. Though I DO need to get more information out about Nintendon and its people, I'm not sure I did it in such a great way. Well, if any of you readers survived to make it to this author note then…GOOD JOB! :D

Please review!


	3. Chapter 3: The Lucario's Prophecy

**A/N: **Sorry for the late update, and sorry for updating it late in the night too. I'm still trying to find the time to work on my fanfictions. Everything is getting way busy...

Starting with this chapter, Meta and Ganondorf's dialogue will be in parentheses when they are speaking in Gerudo. This way, I hope to make it easier to know when the other characters in the story are able to understand and when they are not.

Introducing more characters now…who will be the next ones to appear?

**Disclaimer: **I do not own any of the characters. They all belong to their respected owners.

**-Chapter 3: The Lucario's Prophecy-**

Jigglypuff gazed at herself through the reflection in the mirror of Zelda's shop, letting her new dress flow gently behind her. She had tried on the dress the seamstress had labored to make and surprisingly, she liked it. Although it was rather plain and had few decorations without fancy lace and intricate embroidery, the simplicity of it seemed to bring out her features better.

"Do you like it?" Zelda asked her as the dark haired seamstress appeared in the mirror's reflection behind her. "I can always redo it if you want."

"It's…beautiful. I like it," Jigglypuff said, which she said truthfully.

She really did like it, compared to her old dress which was now at the bottom of a trashcan. It was considerably lighter and did not nearly look as ridiculous on her. Its creamy yellow was more favorable to her than the dark green of her old dress.

Peach entered the shop, panting slighting as if she had been running. She looked up for a brief moment to admire Zelda's fine work before turning to the seamstress.

"You won't believe who I ran into on the way back here," Peach gasped out.

"Who?" Zelda asked in concern, listing off the names of as many Nintendoans she could.

"Those police officers, Marth and Ike. The shop nearby yours was broken into and robbed! There's a small crowd forming there. Come take a look!"

They all immediately left Zelda's shop and almost upon stepping out into the street, they heard the chatter before they spotted the said crowd. There were not many people there, but the curious and shocked emotions in the air could have matched the power of feelings made by a hundred. Most of them appeared to have been merely passing by on errands when they came across the shattered windows of the small shop on the corner, some with baskets balanced on their heads and bags of groceries in their hands. The majority of the mass were Goombas and Koopa Troopas and Jigglypuff thought she recognized a few, though she could not be certain. To her, all of them looked the exact same with no two distinguishable from the other.

Just as they arrived at the front windows to peer inside, two uniformed figures emerged out of the darkness, heavy boots cracking the broken glass into small bits.

"See? We were too late! We probably could have caught them if you hadn't been patrolling the wrong street!"

"Wrong street? _You _were the one on the wrong street! You were supposed to be watching over this street while I was at the Central Square!"

Jigglypuff looked over the two men. Dressed in identical black police officer uniforms, they looked similar, even standing at the same height. Squinting to see the small badges on their jackets, Jigglypuff made out the words 'OFFICER MARTH' and 'OFFICER IKE' on them. Officer Marth had long strands of blue hair held back in a gold band. Jigglypuff caught the long glance that he and Zelda looked at each other with.

Officer Ike had serious, dark eyes that seemed like ice shards. His spiky hair was tied back with a long strip of black fabric. A large, golden sword with a steel gray hilt hung at his belt, tapping against the ground. His arms were crossed as he looked back at the robbed shop.

Marth turned to the crowd, holding his hands up.

"Everything's under control here. Just ignore Ike. Just move along now."

He herded the people away from the shop before exhaustedly leaning against the wood door that barely hung on its hinges. Ike turned back to his co-worker, giving him an unfriendly glance.

"Do you feel any better now that you lied to those people?"

"Ike, shut up."

Ike threw his hands into the hair, kicking a large piece of smashed wood hard. He muttered something under his breath as he walked back into the glooms of the shop.

"Just wait till the shop owner comes to see their place, I'm sure they'll be _thrilled _to see that we've done such a great job of keeping it safe!"

Zelda came up to Marth, looking at him with concern.

"Marth, is everything alright?"

"Alright? Does this look alright to you?" Ike called out from inside the shop.

Marth slowly let out his breath.

"We couldn't get here in time…the thieves got away again…"

"Maybe you'll catch them next time," Zelda said hopefully.

Ike came out of the shop again, looking down at Marth.

"This has been the twenty sixth time this season. Face it Marth, we're lousy police officers. Chief Falcon is going to wring our necks. Great job, Marth."

Marth stood up, facing Ike directly.

"You know, Ike? You really need to start getting a grip on yourself. There's not much we can do now. They got away, we're going to have to try harder next time."

Ike laughed out grimly.

"Next time? I don't think so. There's not going to _be_ a next time. Might as well toss your uniform into the trash because the Chief is going to fire us!"

"And also, this wasn't _my_ fault that we let the thieves get away! Why do keep blaming me?"

"Blaming you? I'm only telling you the truth."

"Ike, shut up."

"You shut up yourself."

"Hey, guys, please," Peach said, standing between them. "Fighting is not going to catch those crooks."

"Doing nothing's not going to get us far either," Ike said.

"But doing nothing is better than fighting," Peach said, turning to him.

"Not when my job is at stake!"

Peach had to duck out of the way as Marth and Ike began fighting again, raising their voices to near shouts.

The girls left, giving up on trying keeping the two police officers from fighting. Their angry remarks followed them until they took a turn at the bend and they could no longer hear the fight. Zelda turned back towards the street, sadly turning back to the road ahead.

* * *

Ganondorf strode through the streets of Nintendon, shadow falling across the quivering figures of Nintendoans as Meta trailed behind him. The Gerudo liked the feeling of power. No one in the land dared say something against him in fear of losing everything they had from their jobs to their homes. Even the Ancient Minister, Nintendon's governor, did not have as much say and power as he did.

("M…Master…")

Ganondorf stopped, looking at his slave in agitation. He immediately replied back in Gerudo.

("What?")

("I d…don't think this is a good idea…I sense blood will be drawn…")

("Since when did I ever ask for your opinion? I know that Wolf doesn't take me seriously and the only way he ever will is if his own blood is spilled.")

He watched Meta shiver slightly, pulling the ends of his cape tighter around him.

_Stupid idiot. Does he really think that his thoughts and feelings count? Wolf didn't even consider getting started, letting my prize slip away. If need be, I'll beat it into his thick skull that I expect tasks to completed on time…_

He stole another glance at Meta.

_Wouldn't it have been nice if the world was as mindless as him? Everyone would be the same—no disobeying, no back talking, no complaining, no preferences, no nothing. Everything would be easier to deal with…_

He yanked the chains forwards, forcing Meta to quicken his pace. The slave made a dog-like whine that Ganondorf ignored.

His expression returned back to its usual dead-serious feel, receiving the usual response from the Nintendoans: keeping away from him. Like a wave of silence, all quiet conversing ceased as the Gerudo passed. Any faint smiles faded away and some of the faces of the people, especially the ones in heavy debt to Ganondorf, drained away of all of its color.

The two slipped away from the quiet street and into a narrow alley, shrouded in the shadows of the buildings. The stone ground was unlevel, pools of dark water covering parts of it. Ganondorf closed his eyes, feeling energy well up in him. With a wide sweep of his hand, a glowing orb formed into the still air, illuminating the alley with a pale, ghostly light.

His heavy boots advanced towards the rusty iron door at the far end of the alley. Each step sent vibrations rippling silently in the pools of water. Behind Ganondorf, Meta carefully walked around them, the bell on his collar making the only sounds. Its small tinkling now made pitiful pleas to turn back.

They stopped at the iron doors. Meta shuffled behind Ganondorf and without even needing to speak; his master could already hear what the slave was going to beg for. Raising his hand to the door, Ganondorf traced ancient words along his tongue, saying them slowly as his glove began to glow a rich purple.

Meta flinched back as the scraping of metal sounded. The entire door, once strong and mighty, ripped off its hinges. It crumpled, bending and twisting before it was thrust to the side. The entry way now stood bare, revealing the black void of the darkness within. Ganondorf opened his eyes, energy swirling around him. His mind probed through the building, searching for all sources of movement.

Instantly, everything came to him as he opened his mind to the surroundings. He could feel the stirring of spiders on their webs, one of them encasing an unfortunate insect into wisps of white thread. He heard the scurrying of rats among the rafters, sniffing around the carcass of a once breathing creature. Feeling his way forward, Ganondorf finally could hear the violent laughter of men, somewhere far within the building.

Lowering his hand, Ganondorf entered the building. The glowing orb trailed in, filling the cracks in the floor boards with its light. Just as he was about to take another step forward, Meta's chain which was secured around the Gerudo's belt pulled him back. Looking behind him, he could see that the chain was taut. His gloves shuddered with agitation as he turned to face Meta who had planted his feet at the base of the door, both hands pressed firmly against the door frame. The slave's entire body was shaking.

Ganondorf took the chain in both hands and pulled hard on it. He gasped out with the powerful resistance Meta put up against him. The doorframe creaked and groaned as the struggle continued. Finally, Ganondorf stopped.

("I'm tired of such nonsense. Get yourself in here _now_.")

Meta shook his head, the bell wildly jangling.

("N…no! I don't want to go in!")

Ganondorf lifted his hand into the air, directly towards Meta. Muttering a few words, Meta watched in horror as he no longer could control his own body. His hands let go of the doorframe and he began walking towards his master mechanically. He dropped on to his hands, Ganondorf stepping down on the dark blue puffball's back as he released his power over Meta.

Bending his head closer to his slave, Ganondorf hissed,

("When I give you an order, you follow it without hesitation or question.")

Meta did not say anything but by the vertical movement under his boot, Ganondorf could tell it was a weak nod. He turned back to the room, standing upright again. Meta stood up, lowering his gaze to the wooden boards. Inside, he held all of his fears in silence. Glimpses of blood splattering across the walls, pooling on to the floors filled his visions.

His gold eyes watched as he involuntarily followed his master, the horrors of what lay ahead, directly beyond the closed door with the light shining below it and the deep voices of the pirates.

Inside, Wario, Bowser and many of the other pirates were seated around a large, plain table, gambling. As they rolled the dice to their game, they drank heavily, exchanging jokes, some making the entire room boom with laughter.

Wario stood up, holding his dice in his gloves.

"I'd wager that…what's his face…Lord Ganon be a sittin' around in his livin' room, waitin' fer nothin'! Hah! Probably goin' to be a waitin' fer another two seasons, collectin' cobwebs before he realizes!"

The approved laughs from his comrades suddenly died, almost constricting in their throats. Looking around him, Wario found that all of their eyes were on a figure behind him. The heavy stride of boots said it all of who was behind him.

"M…my master says…he…he is not humored…by your joke," Meta said, translating Ganondorf's words which were lined with an icy poison.

Wario turned to face the Gerudo, trying to casually raising his beaker of grog in the air , while his free hand fingered his pistol. Ganondorf's eyes fell upon the gun, narrowing.

Wario gasped as his pistol's barrel suddenly emptied, the bullets clattering to the ground before rolling their way into the holes of the floorboards, forever disappearing into the darkness. He stared at the pistol that now was lifted into the air, crumpling before his eyes like paper.

The pirates of the room stood up, watching the sorcerer dismiss the scrap metal to the rubbish pile at the other end of the room. Ganondorf turned to look at them all. Meta came forward slightly from behind his master's cape as his master muttered something to his slave.

"M…my master wishes to know w…where Capt. Wolf is at this moment…"

No one moved. No one spoke. Everything was deathly still.

"L…Lord Ganondorf would like to r…remind him of his ever important duty…"

"Wha do ya' mean?" Wario said, trying to force a calm grin on his face. "Capt. Wolf knows what he be doin'. He be a getting' yer tr-"

Wario choked out as he was suddenly thrust in the air, Ganondorf no longer able to contain his impatience and anger. He kicked out, struggling to breathe as blood streamed down the side of his mouth under the intense power of the sorcerer. Ganondorf leaned forward, Meta translating what he said to the pirate.

"M…my master asks again, where is Capt. Wolf?"

"Tavern…gambling…won't…come back…soon," Wario choked out.

Then, Ganondorf muttered a few more words, a blood hand print appearing in the air above Wario. It drifted towards the wall pealing with old paint, the other pirates drawing away as words began to write themselves in dark red.

**Hear me, Wolf…**

**I have no more patience to be ignored**

**You know what you need to do…**

Finished, Ganondorf waved his hand and Wario collapsed, smashing through the wood table. Without another word, he turned towards the door and left the room, Meta dragging behind him like a stiff board.

* * *

Jigglypuff walked along with Peach and Zelda, the two shop owners quietly talking as they walked through the empty street.

"What about our shops? They could be the next to be robbed. I'm on the very line of losing everything I have, Peach. I don't know if I'd be able to make up for the loss…" Zelda murmured.

"Well, that shop was just asking to be robbed, it's on the wealthy side of Nintendon where they sell everything that no one can afford…" Peach replied. "I don't think your fabrics are at any danger."

"But no one is doing anything about it! People are just letting these crooks get away with it. By the time these robbers are caught and hanged, all of Nintendon will be on the streets!"

Jigglypuff was not listening to their conversation, already bored hearing other's misfortunes. She needed to focus on her own problems. Peach and Zelda were strong enough to handle the situation by themselves.

It had been disheartening to once again, not see one puffball-like Nintendoan. She was completely sure that no one else could possibly help her get back home, and after that, she would never have to think about Nintendon again. Glancing up and down the streets, she could not see anyone.

_Strange…maybe they're all still crowded around that shop…_

Peach and Zelda took a turn straight to the Central Square where a few other Nintendoans were about. The Central Square, though large and surrounded by stores and other buildings, was dwarfed in size by the towering building at the far end, overlooking the entire town like a tree in a field of grass.

The stone was different here too. Instead of the dark rock that trailed through all the other streets of Nintendon, the Central Square was floored with pale tiles patterned with rich red tiles that curved around them in intricate lines. A stone fountain stood at the center, its structure covered in furry green moss. She could make out the once impressive figures of heroes of the land, some holding their swords high in the air while others held arrows and spears in their hands. The clear water of the fountain flowed around the figures, making small ripples in the otherwise still water.

Street lamps suddenly flickered on as the bell tower on the Eastern side of Nintendon's bells tolled out the hour. The bells boomed out across the land, making the ground vibrate under its power.

Peach and Zelda walked up the steps to the large building, Jigglypuff following. The wooden doors were wide open with the voices of many within. Jigglypuff realized that a lot of the Nintendoans had come here straight after hearing about the break in.

The high ceilinged room that they walked into was bathed in a warm, welcoming light. Making their way past rows of marble columns, they started down a long aisle between hundreds of wooden benches.

_This looks like a church…_

Jigglypuff came to a stop to stare in awe at the sight before her. Directly before her, shining in its full splendor was the largest stained glass window Jigglypuff had ever seen in her life. She had to bend her head back to see its very top which could faintly be seen in the darkness at the room's far ceiling.

The window depicted an elegant figure, a woman, holding a globe of the planet in her hands, silvery white hair flowing at her sides. Her eyes were gentle but god-like, full of strength and power. Her right glove, portrayed as floating in the air, drifted above the Earth, while her left glove hung below it.

"Who is she?" Jigglypuff asked.

"Hmm? Oh, that's the Goddess," Peach explained. "Most of the Nintendoans believe in her to be the creator and destroyer of life."

"They say she has thousands of names, one name from each species of life she creates." Zelda added. "We humans simply call her the Goddess, though I'm not sure what the others here may call her."

"So why does she have no arms? Did the artists of the window forget to make them?"

"No, for some reason, they never portray her with arms…"

"All she has are Master Hand and Crazy Hand," Peach said. "Master Hand is the creator while Crazy Hand is the destroyer. Together, they form the circle of life."

"Why Crazy Hand? Isn't that an odd name to give to a goddess's hand?"

"The name of the Goddess's left hand was translated from the old language as 'Crazy Hand'. I'm not sure exactly why but it's the way it is." Zelda said, shrugging.

The two made their way towards the large platform where many of the Nintendoans stood, bowing their heads as they prayed for good fortune. Jigglypuff watched them for a minute but soon became bored as the minutes wore on. She wandered around the room, searching for something of interest. She looked back at the great window, gazing up at the Goddess.

A disfigured stump of a rock made her turn back to the ground. She stood over it, looking at it curiously. She turned to a Nintendoan who was standing nearby.

"What's this?"

The man turned to her and then to the rock base.

"Not sure exactly. I think I heard from someone that used to be the base of a statue. Maybe it's just a story people make up. I don't think anyone's ever seen the statue itself."

The man's wife examined the stone base as well.

"I've heard that the statue used to measure the balance of light and darkness in Nintendon. Can't imagine how a stone rock could do such a thing though…"

This seemed to spark the other Nintendoans nearby to debate over the stone base. Jigglypuff decided that she should stay out of the discussion. Slipping past a few other shop keepers she did not recognize, she headed towards an empty channel along the back wall.

Now with less people in the way, Jigglypuff could feel the cool air against her face. Her dress lifted off the ground, sweeping like a paintbrush on canvas behind her as she made her way forward.

She turned to see a family of Nintendoans, consisting of a mother, father, a young boy, and girl. Flashes of her own family appeared before her eyes. Jigglypuff found herself shaking, but unable to turn away.

A figure in a black satin cape, leaning against the shadowy side of the marble columns suddenly appeared in the corner of her eyes. Pulling back the hood, Jigglypuff watched as the jackal-like creature revealed itself. It uncrossed its arms from its furry, yellow chest where a large spike protruded out and stood up straight. A fluffy blue tail poked out from under the cape behind its slender black legs. The figure's red eyes looked down to Jigglypuff.

"_You cared deeply about your family…I give you my sorrow for your loss."_

Jigglypuff gasped out. The figure had not even opened its mouth, yet the words came clearly to her. It sounded as if he was speaking into her mind.

"H…how did y-"

"_Your mind screams it, giving much pain to the Psychic."_

"Psychic?"

"_It is the name given to my kind, Lucarios."_

"Th…that's impossible…no one can read minds…" Jigglypuff stammered.

"_Do you really believe so? Do you believe that I cannot see the emotions that you yourself cannot express?" _The Lucario said through her mind. _"You are full of impatience, want, and frustration, yet under all those, sadness runs deeply through you. You're lonely. You desperately want love."_

The Lucario paused, as if in deep thought as he continued to reach into Jigglypuff's thoughts.

"_You're unsure of yourself. You feel isolated. You're unhappy with your life. And you say that I cannot see this? Your entire body radiates with these emotions."_

Jigglypuff stopped. If this Lucario could truly read everything about her from her emotions to her thoughts, did he know how to help her? Before she could even ask, the Lucario shook his head.

"_Your destination is a long way from this land. You cannot return to the land of clouds for you still have your destiny to fulfill."_

Then, the Lucario closed its eyes and clacked the spike on his right hand to the spike on its chest, which Jigglypuff guessed was some sign of respect Lucarios showed.

"_May your path among the stars follow the light."_

With that, the Lucario pulled the hood back over his head and disappeared into the shadows without another word. Jigglypuff was left standing, blinking.

_Destiny? Path? What is he talking about? All I want is to go home!_

She hurried away, not wanting to think about what the Lucario had said.

The Lucario watched from the shadows as Jigglypuff disappeared out the door before leaning back against the column he stood by. He closed his eyes, words tracing themselves in his mind.

"_The Keeper has come, to fulfill thy destiny. Find the slave without memory. Be persistent, for he knows the answers…"_

The Lucario turned to look back at the doors once last time before he added.

"_Nintendon is tainted by an unknown evil, slowly shrouding it in shadows. Walk the true path guided by the Goddess, for the final sands of time are falling and the land is drawing to eternal night…"_

* * *

Jigglypuff stepped outside, walking back down the steps and onto the Central Square. Looking around her, the sky was a night blue, white stars glimmering far above her. It was not that late, but already, half the night sky was sparkling above, teasing her.

She frowned, remembering how close the stars had seemed from home. Here, they felt so far away. Jigglypuff shivered, feeling isolated and helpless.

The faint sounds of her light footsteps reached her ears, sounding lonely in the quiet street of the Central Square.

_I…I want to go home…_

She slowly sat down on the wide rim, looking up at the glowing sky. Tears trickled down her face.

_Why do I keep crying? This is so immature! What would mother thi-"_

She stopped, thinking about home again. She covered her face with her gloves, muffling her sobs.

Suddenly, but softly, she heard music. Looking up, she turned to see a lone figure, standing at the streetlight, holding a violin in his hand. She wiped her tears away, enchanted by the sweet melody. Its notes were delicate but beautiful, everything around them receding to silence.

_Wait…this is from the same musician from the other night! Who could be the one that plays so beautifully?"_

Getting off the fountain edge, she hesitantly made her way towards the string player.

He looked up, abruptly stopping, gold eyes looking into her eyes before he suddenly turned his gaze to the ground. He lowered the violin in his hand. Jigglypuff's eyes widened as she looked him over.

He was a puffball, like her, but of a rich dark blue. He wore a steel gray mask where his eyes shone from a wide V-shaped slit. His black cape was lined in a bright silver that flowed behind him.

He bowed his head, shaking slightly.

"F…forgive me…I'll choose a different location if my music is bothering you…"

"What?" Jigglypuff asked, confused. "It's not bothering me. You play beautifully."

The figure relaxed slightly, standing up a little straighter.

"T…the other day, someone threw a brick at me for playing outside…"

_Do I really care? Go ask him now, ask him how to get back home!_

"Pardon me, uh…sir," She started, trying to find words to address him correctly. "I desperately need help getting back home. I don't belong here and…you see…I washed up here a day ago and seeing that…you're of my kind, do you know how I can get back to the Sky Empire?"

The figure's shoulders seemed to sag slightly.

"N…no one ever comes to me unless they want something…" He said quietly.

"So, uh…do you know how I can get back?" She pressed, not letting him get away from her question.

He looked at her, eyes confused.

"I…I've never been anywhere but Nintendon and the desert regions…I have never heard of the Sky Empire…"

Jigglypuff was at a loss for words. How could he not know? Wasn't he of her race? Didn't he have relatives or at least friends from the Sky Empire?

He tucked the violin under his arm and a sudden wind swept around them, his cape fluttering open. It was at that moment that Jigglypuff gasped, raising a hand over her mouth.

Before, he had wrapped his cape around himself and Jigglypuff did not see the golden bell on his collar and the chains binding his wrists, marking him as a slave.

"_Slaves…" _She remembered her mother scoff. _"Slaves aren't even people—they're things, possessions. Jigglypuff, stay away from them, don't talk to them…you never know what disease they might carry…"_

How quickly had she gone from relief that she had a savior to despair that her 'savior' was nothing more than a slave!

The figure turned to look at her, catching her staring at his chains. From under his mask, he frowned.

"I…I guess you won't need me…not if you have a preference of who helps you…" He said quietly as he turned, walking away.

Jigglypuff watched as he left the Central Square, disappearing like a shadow with only the faint jangling of the bell on his collar.

* * *

**A/N:** Meta and Jigglypuff have finally met, neither of them knowing the other's name yet. I have also introduced Nintendon's main religion: the belief in the Goddess. I have incorporated Master Hand and Crazy Hand as the Goddess's right and left hands, Master Hand being the creator of life while Crazy Hand is the destroyer. I don't know. Having the two hands be part of divine force seemed interesting.

Marth and Ike have been brought in to the story as the two police men of Nintendon. Chief Falcon is the head of police and he is on the verge of firing the two.

Jigglypuff has also met Lucario, who in this story is never given a name but is just called 'the Lucario'. The Lucario in the story kind of has the role of a prophet who can foretell all the events that are to occur.

Poor Meta, I would seriously punch the person that threw a brick at him. He's left the Central Square and Jigglypuff is unwilling to get help from a slave. I'll try to get the next chapter up soon!

Please review!


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